1. They turn out to be thrilling evenings of lust and intellectual discovery spent with someone who just might be your soul mate, or
2. They are colossal wastes of time.

We’re generalizing, of course.

But since life is like a box of chocolates, and some of them are really good walnut caramels and others are turtle dung, it pays to choose a first-date restaurant destination that will let love flourish.

Below are the top five factors to consider when selecting a first-date restaurant. Think of a few restaurants that fit these criteria in your neighborhood, and keep them written on a piece of paper in your wallet or tattoo them on your forearm to avoid that pre-date “I don’t care, where do YOU want to go?” banter.